Last year was a landmark one for public schools in New York state. Through the dedicated efforts of legislators and the governor, the logjam that existed over the Campaign for Fiscal Equity decision was broken and a sea change occurred in the funding of schools  - a four-year plan with predictable increases and an emphasis on reforms that research and practice show help kids succeed. Now we must take the next step and make sure the funding for public education continues to grow as promised, especially in the neediest districts.

That necessary next step won't be easy. Already, last year's promising forward progress is in danger of being derailed by misguided proposals for cuts and caps.

Belt-tightening in an uncertain economy is a rational response  - but not when it comes to kids.

The governor's budget, while it contains an increase in statewide education funding, is a reduction from what was promised.

New York City schools face a double whammy, with midyear cuts totaling $100 million being imposed on school budgets.

Although Gov. Spitzer's Executive Budget proposal still increases state education aid, the boost for reforms like class size and middle schools is significantly smaller than he had committed last year, as is aid for building schools. And the city's planned $324 million school budget cut for next year also threatens the gains promised by the CFE agreement.

The United Federation of Teachers, along with parent and community allies, is making the fight for restorations in both the city and state budgets. The Keep the Promises Coalition  - consisting of more than 60 community groups, parent organizations and unions, as well as some 40 state and city elected officials  - was just announced. On the state level, we are also working closely with our state affiliate, NYSUT.

The UFT stands in strong solidarity with NYSUT in opposition to proposals being floated for arbitrary tax caps, which are even more potentially damaging than one-year budget cuts.

New York City's education funding comes from several sources, including an income tax and property tax. City educators see a property tax cap for what it is: a pervasive threat to the entire state's commitment to equity and excellence. Even New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg agrees.

Tax caps sound appealing in theory, particularly in tough economic times. But just ask educators in California what damage tax caps can wreak.

In reality, tax caps put a community on educational autopilot, with the potential for a crash landing when an arbitrary cap kicks in, forcing painful cuts in student services and academic programs. In other states, like California  - where well-intentioned efforts to ease the burden for local taxpayers resulted in one-size-fits-all tax cap formulas  - communities have endured the loss of teachers and counselors; ballooning class sizes; loss of music, athletics and art; and the emigration of families who seek a stable school system committed to quality.

Tax caps invoke permanent pain on the neediest communities  - those that are still struggling to invest the resources needed to provide a quality education.

Ironically, tax caps also cap the aspirations of more affluent communities, which are eventually stymied in efforts to upgrade or enhance their educational programs.

Certainly these are tough economic times, and we all need to be open to commonsense ways to economize without undercutting our commitment to our kids.

One practical way would be to eliminate counterproductive and unfunded mandates  - the kind that divert resources from the strategies and programs that help children learn. The federal No Child Left Behind Act, and its one-two punch of over-testing and underfunding, resonates with parents and educators alike as an example of bureaucracy run amok. And, if there must be cuts, why not cut the endless testing and redundant paperwork imposed these days, instead of core services?

Whether we work in urban communities, rural communities or somewhere in between, educators are united in advocating for what kids need. Their educational opportunities can't be put on hold until the economy comes back to life.

We need to hold to the steady course begun last year with a historic investment in education  - and avoid at all costs the dangerous detours, such as tax cap proposals, that would derail the progress seen from one end of New York state to another.

Randi Weingarten is president of NYSUT's largest local, the United Federation of Teachers. She is also a member of the NYSUT Board of Directors and an American Federation of Teachers vice president.